Sunday, May 16, 2010

Jessica and Rafael left for their new adventure: creating a life in Australia. Moreover, Ivan and I are adapting to life without the our oft-featured cohorts, Shelley and Rafael.

They have taken up in Rio for the time being, until their respective graduate studies move their adventure forward once again in the fall. I've communicated to them that I (but not my liver) will miss them dearly. Ivan chased them out of town by creating a special celebratory concoction of vodka, zucchini, salt, and pepper: a ZucchiniTini!

As Ivan says, "If you're going to cross the line, you've got to cross it properly."

Porto Alegre is burgeoning with newcomers, though. Our once-little Facebook group now has over 500 members, and the number of foreigners I encounter on the street has seemingly increased ten-fold. Some recent additions to the circle are Roxanne and Rudy.

Ivan, Kristin, Thiago, Rudy, and Roxanne

Roxanne found me much like Tanya had. She emailed me some questions about Porto Alegre last year, as her husband was contemplating an assignment here. We all met in person back in February and they've been a fun addition to the mix ever since. We have gone out for pub nights, patio parties, and a boat ride; last week they treated me to a phenomenal sushi feast! Roxanne (who has come and gone and come, again, to visit Rudy) has also welcome me into their apartment hotel to enjoy some homemade lunches. In the summertime it was a (much-missed) d-e-l-u-x-e salad! Now that the weather has turned decidedly fallish--yum chilli, yum chicken noodle soup for my soul! I've decided to change my new friends' name to Rocksanne.

Other newcomers to my social circle are Gina & Craig, Dennis, Maureen, Pau, Rodrigo, Chris & Patricia, James, and Mauro. Surely there will be stories featuring hijinks with each in the coming weeks and months.

And just because it's been a while, here's a nice March photo of the sun...going.

"How did you end up here?"

All stories have a beginning, though not all stories have a clear plot. I chucked my U.S. life in 2008 and moved (yes, alone) to Porto Alegre, Brazil. In the spirit of courage, ambition, adventure, and curiosity, I set out to restore and recreate my Self. In the beginning I wrote under the quaintly misspelled nickname Loquinha Gauchinha, and My Life In Havaianas represented, to me, a new adventure.

In 2010 I moved to São Paulo, because, well, "Leap and the net will appear." I turned Paulistinha(but stayed "colorada"). Nets did appear --amazingly, but not surprisingly--again. Yet a year later I was on my way back to the States. A masters in US-Brazil collaboration kept me occupied and laid groundwork for later evolution.

Today, My Life In Havaianas has a new meaning to me. It represents a Self I recreated and continue to expand. It is a state of mind. A passion reignited. I'm ready to fill in the gaps. For now, you can call me Jenjinha.